ATLANTA -- The distance between Elly De La Cruz and a 30/30 season? Ninety feet.
In a continuation of his scorching September, De La Cruz hit his 30th home run of the season. It was one of three slugged by the Reds during Thursday's 7-6 win over the Braves that gave them two of three in the series.
“It’s the first time I’ve hit 30 home runs. That's something everybody wants to do, so it’s really special," De La Cruz said.
Meanwhile, De La Cruz remained one bag away from 30 steals and being Cincinnati's first 30/30 player in 19 years. There are three games remaining in the season, all in Toronto. If he gets on base vs. the Blue Jays, will he be looking extra hard for that 30th steal?
“All the time when I’m playing, I’m looking to do anything to help win the game," De La Cruz said.
The Reds were trailing, 4-2, in the third inning when De La Cruz sparked a three-run rally by clobbering Tyler Mahle's 1-0 splitter over the middle of the plate for a no-doubt homer to right field.
It was De La Cruz's ninth homer in September, the most in a calendar month by a switch-hitter in Reds history. For the month, he is tied for the Major League lead in homers and is ranked near the top in average (.377) and slugging (.792).
In 30 games since Aug. 22, De La Cruz is batting .391 with a 1.205 OPS and 20 RBIs.
The list of Reds with 30 homers and 30 steals in a single season is three players: Brandon Phillips in 2007, Barry Larkin in 1996 and Eric Davis in 1987. Had De La Cruz not missed three weeks in June with a right hamstring strain, he might have had a chance at a 40/40 season.
“I think he’s been tremendous," manager Terry Francona said. "This kid, what he played through, and I know I’ve said it, but he’s just different. I think some people can almost will themselves to feel better, and I think he’s in that group.”
Singer hit hard in no-decision
Veteran starting pitcher Brady Singer was unable to end his season on a high note after being roughed up for five runs and seven hits over three innings with two walks and one strikeout. Singer faced 10 batters in the bottom of the first inning as Atlanta took a 4-1 lead.
“I just gave up a lot of hard contact," Singer said. "The goal was to go out there and get in the zone early, and I felt like I did. I felt confident in the zone, and they just put good swings on balls, and then I obviously got tired when the pitch count got up and I started walking guys and stuff like that.”
After the Reds battled back for a 5-4 lead in the top of the third, Singer gave up a two-out solo homer to Austin Riley in the bottom of the inning. It extended Singer's career high of 32 homers allowed in 2026.
Over his 31 starts and 157 innings, Singer finished 6-15 with a 5.85 ERA. In four September starts, he had a 15.26 ERA as he heads into free agency after the season.
“It’s obviously not good at all. I’m not happy with it whatsoever," Singer said. "Started bad and I got on a good run there and felt good, and then the last couple of outings have been really bad."
Big night for Jorge
Leading off the game against Mahle, rookie Carlos Jorge hit his first Major League home run by hitting a 2-1 pitch to right field. He was the fifth Red in the last 50 years and the first since Chris Dickerson in 2008 to hit a leadoff homer for the first of his career.
“It feels awesome to get the first one," Jorge said. "It’s so special that I had my first home run with this kind of team, with guys that I know and I’ve been playing around for a while, so this is special.”
Jorge was busy on defense, with his 11 putouts being the most for an outfielder in franchise history during a single game nine innings or fewer since 1900.
“There was a lot," Jorge said. "I came here to do that. That’s my job. The best part is I have fun doing it.”
Jorge, 23, hadn't done much offensively since his Sept. 4 promotion, but the Reds like the tools their No. 15-ranked prospect offers.
“This kid started in Double-A. There’s a lot to not [just] like -- there’s a lot to love," Francona said. "His skill set kind of screams top-of-the-order center fielder, but we need to let him play.”